We ran out from Tierre Verde to 45-50 ft. With it only one day after a cold front expectations were not high for a good bite. The morning bite started off slow with only a few grunts being caught. We brought a livewell full of frisky shrimp hoping to get on some hogfish over some live bottom spots. After moving several times to different spots I stopped on a rock pile in 45ft that usually holds hogfish mangrove snapper and big gags. Almost right away we started picking up some really nice mangrove snapper and big grunts. With the water being so dirty the bait of choice seemed to be a small chunk of frozen sardine. We caught a few on shrimp but they wanted the cut bait better. I started to do some pretty heavy chumming with cut up sardines and it wasn’t long before the big gags woke up and started to chew. Needless to say we did not move the boat again and by 2:00 we had a box full of nice mangos and grunts and turned back some big catch and release gags..unfortunately the hogfish never bit, but we will get them next trip..-Capt John
